JBFCS: Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs

Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services

June 2004

Alisha Goodman, LMSW, Deputy Director for Program Operations

Torah Study

Every Wednesday at noon, Jewish Connections Programs staff and guests gather to study Torah. Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, LCSW, usually leads these Torah study sessions, although other staff occasionally guest facilitate. This past month, we explored the themes of sacrifice & sanctification in Parshat Emor and the theme of trust in the Haftarah of Parshat B’har/B’hukotai. We also explored Psalm 104, which is the Psalm for Rosh Chodesh, the New Month. It is on this Psalm that I would like to concentrate.

In our study, we approached the Psalm’s seven sections one by one*, exploring the themes of each section and then relating them back to the overall themes. The Psalm begins with references to creation; we read of light and darkness and the formation of the earth. These verses challenge us with their images of immense power and majesty, as G-d "wears light as a garment" and "Above the mountains stood the waters". The next section, more comforting to me, gives the world boundaries and order, "Each to the place You established for them". The third section further allows the reader to feel that the world is orderly, as trees are planted and animals are given sustenance and shelter.

Then the fourth section again challenges our sense of safety. Darkness brings out the beasts of the forest. Men work during the day, to return home in the evening. This verse, in a seemingly curious way, ends with a tribute to the greatness of G-d and his creatures. While some may read this section and feel uneasy, I personally felt more secure as G-d further established a place for each creature in the world. The fifth section introduces sea creatures and emphasizes G-d’s greatness.

The sixth section acknowledges G-d’s dominion, as people are "satisfied with good" when G-d opens His hand but are "are terrified" when G-d hides His/Her face. The Psalm ends with verses in which both the earth and the psalmist rejoice in G-d.

As we read these verses together and discussed the themes, I was struck by several points. First, while some of our reactions to particular sections were similar, they were not identical. Our own experiences shaped our interaction with the text. Second, elements of the Psalm interact with other parts of our Jewish life. For example, the meditation before the prayer for putting on the tallit (the prayer shawl) is found in the first verse, "…wrapped in light as in a garment, unfolding the heavens like a curtain." Also, further on, there is reference to the hamotzi (the blessing for bread), "bringing forth bread from the earth." Finally, while we may encounter darkness in sections of the Psalm, I left the complete Psalm with an overall feeling of lightness. The Psalm points out the light (whether in G-d, ourselves, or others) which can keep us joyous, and which can never be fully extinguished by the darkness.

*Rabbi Weintraub divided the Psalm into seven sections before we started. He noted that other sources and rabbis may divide the Psalm differently.

These "Spirituality Notes" are excerpts from our monthly E-newsletter. Articles are © JBFCS Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs and may be reprinted free of charge as long as this credit line is included.

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